Electric heater



E. N. LIGHTFOOT.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

min 1m i920.

Dec. 26, 1922.

ZZZ?" Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN N. LIGHTFOOT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OTTO E. HANSEN AND SONS, OF PERTH AMBO Y, NEW JERSEY, A COPABTNERSHIP CON SISTING OF MARIE HANSEN. ALBERT HANSEN, AND CARL W. HANSEN.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed January 9, 1920. Serial No. 350,885.

To all m 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN N. LIGHTFOOT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric heaters.

It relates more particularly to heaters in which the supports for the resistance elements represent clusters of logs.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for supporting the resist-- ance elements of such heaters.

Another object is to provide improved terminals for heaters of this type.

Another object is to provide an ornamental protective screen for the resistance elements of such electric heaters.

Another object is to provide for the re sistance elements of such heaters 11. bed of insulation representing ashes.

Another object is to provide resilient terminals for such heaters whereby the resistance element and the fragile supports thereof are protected.

Another object is to provide improved means for anchoring the resistance elements to the support of the heater.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the description and claims.

An embodiment of'the invention is illustraed in the accompanying drawings which are for the purpose of illustration only, for it is obvious that many emlmdiments'may be made by and will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an electric heater in which the support for the resist ance element represents a cluster of logs;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2--2 of Fi 1;

ig. 3 is an exploded perspective of a terminal bracket to which the resistance element is connected, and of a terminal of the heater;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a 'ter-, mine]. bracket with the'resistance element connected therewith; and

Fig. 5 is an endelevation of one of the anchors employed for securing the resistance element to the log.

The electric heater has a support formed of terra-cotta or other suitable material-to represent a cluster of three logs 1, 2 and 3.

The two lower logs 2 and 3 are hollow. A suitable cover plate 4 is rovided for'the opening in the bottom 0 the lower 10 The cluster of logs is provided with a p urality of feet 5 by which the heater is supported.

The front face of the cluster of logs is provided with a groove 6 which has a lining 7 of suitable insulating material such as asbestos. The outer face of the asbestos lining is composed of asbestos wool or other suitable material Which represents a bed of ashes upon which the resistance element of the heater rests.

The resistance element of the heater comprises a helical coil 10 of resistance wire, which rests upon the bed of asbestos wool. The resistance coil 10 intermediate the ends thereof is anchored to the base of the groove 6. The means for thus anchoring the resistance coil comprises a'wire loop 11. The

wire follows a tortuous or zigzag path of sufiicient breadth. to span at leasttwo convolutions of the resistance coil. The ends of thewire 11 are twisted together thus forming a loop around the resistance coil 10. The ends of the Wire 11 thus united extend through an opening 12 in the base of the groove 6. The extreme ends of the wire 11 are then bent over the edges of the opening 12 thus anchoring the resistance coil 10 to the base of the groove 6. Other suitable anchoring means may, of course, be employed. a

An L-shaped terminal bracket 13 is rovided at each end of the groove.

bracket is secured to the cluster of'logs bymeans of a bolt 14 extendingthrough an opening 15 in the base of the groove 6. A flexible terminal 16 is clamped between the roof of the interior of the lowerlog 2 by A'plug 18 is inserted in the end of 2 re loses the coil 10. The encl of the Wire is formed into a loop. lhis loop is clamped between the head 19 of the plug and the vertical portion of the, bracket F3 by means of screw 20 extenclingthrough an opening in the bracket 13 and havii 5 threaded engagement /Vlllll the plug 1.8.

The resistance coil be protected. by means-0t an orharnental screen ilorrn' a covering for the groove lhis orna mental screen is formed 0'? wire to represent a twig. The ends of the various arms of the twig are bent for insertion. in small holes provided in the lo A pair of conductors e3 and 2 c nnecterl with a plugthrough}; Fecal Through switch 26 he conncc with t' :3 respective terminals ofthe heat r. These concluctors extcncl through an opening proviclecl in the rear oi the log By means of the plug 25 the heater connected with the conductors may he connected with a suitable source of current supply. The resistance coil 10 throughout its length when connected With a sourceoif current it presents a continuous. glow throughout the length of the cluster of logs. This electric heater not only furnishes heat but also furnishes light. It is of pleasing appear-1 166. The asbestos Wool upon which the resistance coil rests has the appearance 0t ahead of e l when the resistance coil is glowing. The proter screen representing twig mlcls to the tiveness of the electric he or in presenting a structure which closely'in resents an open Wood fire.

hat I claim is: 1. ilin electric heater comprising a support representing a cluster of logs saicl sup port having a groove i 1 the front face thereof insulating mete representing fishes located in groove, and a resistance element positioned in the groove and resting on the insulating materiel.

2. An electric heater comprising a sunplaiiily visible 1 port representing a cluster oi lo saicl srpport h aving a groove 1n the free to .e the e of, insulating material forming a ining for the groove and having an outer face of as hestos Wool, and a resistance element positionecl in the grooveeiuil resting upon tl'z asbestos WOOl. I

An electric heater comp a supportreprescnting cluster of logs, said sup port having a groove in the front face there of. insulating material ttori'ninga lining for the groove and faced Wi li asbestos wool. and a resistance element positioned in the groove.

4. An electric heater port representing a cluster oi? logs, sairl s1 i port having a groove in the Front itace there of, a resistance element positioned-cont1nuously Within the groove and extending" LU to'the supper.) am extencli comprising a sun through substantially the entire length thereof. one means for anchoring the rel support at points in -o resistance ele ance elem thereto. (1 4 W port iepres i log a ciu. oil:

ont face there port l1 arin g a groove in the 11 end tho of, e. tei ial bracket e2 groove element positioned Within the g "oer sand connectcrlwith the terminel brackets. resilient tern'ii .2115; for the hezrter. and n1 is for securing tl terminals to the respective brackets and for securing the hraclrets and terminals to the support.

1'' 1 electric he'ter comnrismg a sup- V. a cluster or logsrsairl support hav ng a groove in A '31 .e there 0 of, a ce elenu Within. the

element 7 c. cwerzng to resenting e twig.

1 sistance 8.1Glll8'illl groore upon the l;

therebetween.

.10. .itn electric heater cozupi'rport repr ting a clustc of h port 1 r a. groove in t of, a el bracket .zh

core, a resistance elei'ncnt positi in the grooe auil conuc ml with the terminal brackets. a ho. for securin euch hrachel i rough an aperture tier in and means 101 connecth electric cona'luctors to the belts.

in witness wherectlji have hereunto subscriherlmy name.

EDWIN N. LIGHTFQOT. 

